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Located right next to Dravo is Richards House. Richards houses 143 first- and second-year students within its four floors. The residence hall was named to honor the memory of Charles Russ Richards, president of Lehigh from 1922 to 1935.

Residents of Richards, a co-ed building, will live on single-gender floors in either a single or a double room, with the double being more likely. All rooms contain moveable furniture, including a bed, mattress, desk with shelves and a chair, dresser, closet or wardrobe, and a bulletin board.

Located on the first floor are the TV and study lounges, a game room, kitchen, vending machines, and laundry facilities. Students can relax and cool down in the air conditioned game room while playing a game of pool.

Each of the residence halls is managed by a full-time, Master’s-level professional who supervises the Gryphon staff in addition to central office responsibilities and planning. Amanda Slichter, an Assistant Director of Residence Life, oversees both Dravo and Richards House. Amanda lives in an embedded apartment in Dravo–right next to Richards– so that in case of an on-campus emergency she can respond quickly.

“There are a lot of good lounge and study options in Richards. There’s the big study lounge off to the left upon entering the lobby from the front of the building, and a TV lounge to the right. Through that lounge, there’s another game room (with AC!) behind it,” says Amanda.

What advice does Amanda have for students living in Richards next year? “My best advice for all residents seems basic, but is really important- lock your door! Please please please. It’s a good practice and something we try to stress as a Residence Life staff from day one. Bonus points if you remember your key and swipe every time you leave!” We can’t wait for MOOV-In Day when new students can finally call Richards home!

Dravo House is one of the largest residence halls on Lehigh’s campus, housing over 250 first-year students. The residence hall was named after two brothers, Ralph M. Dravo, Class of 1889, and Francis F. Dravo, Class of 1887, who founded the Dravo Corporation international construction company in Pittsburgh.

The five-story residence hall contains double and single rooms, as well as a few triples. While the building is co-ed, the floors are single-gender. Students living in Dravo will find that all of the rooms contain moveable furniture, including a bed, mattress, desk, desk chair, and closet with drawers and shelves for each student. Some rooms contain an AC, but please note that not all do.

The first floor of Dravo houses a TV lounge, game room, vending machines, and a laundry facility. Below, the ground floor contains a large programming lounge equipped with a TV, kitchen, and study facilities.

Each of the residence halls is managed by a full-time, Master’s-level professional who supervises the Gryphon staff (remember Head Gryphon Divya?) in addition to central office responsibilities and planning. Amanda Slichter, an Assistant Director of Residence Life, oversees both Dravo and Richards House. Amanda lives in an embedded apartment in Dravo so that in case of an on-campus emergency she can respond quickly.

Her favorite thing about living in Dravo? “The view from the front of Dravo is beautiful, especially at sunset!” says Amanda. A piece of advice she offers residents is to learn the layout. “The building layout is comprised of the A, B, C, and D wings. When looking at the front of Dravo, it starts from the left with the A-wing. From the inside it can be a little disorienting at first, but residents acclimate quickly. It’s also helpful to know that many amenities are in the middle of the building (B-wing) on the first floor immediately inside the main lobby (laundry, vending machines, gender inclusive restroom, the Gryphon office, game room, ice machine, etc.)”We cannot wait for Dravo’s first-year students to move in and start to call this wonderful place their home away from home!

In the past few years, Lehigh has expanded its Themed Community residence hall program to include programs for first-year students as well as upperclassmen. The Themed Community program is a collaboration between the Office of Residence Life, Office of Residential Services, and Office of First-Year Experience. Communities host events such as group meals, discussions, guest speakers, on-campus events, and off-campus trips specific to their area of interest. Each community is advised by at least one faculty or staff member, one Residence Life Assistant Director, and a Gryphon (Resident Assistant).

I sat down with Courtney Stephens, Associate Director of Residence Life, to find out more about this unique opportunity for students.

Besides the titles and the programming, what is the difference between the different themed communities?

There are two different types of themed communities: student driven and university sponsored. Like the name suggests, student driven communities are thought of and led by a student. These communities can be great since the students involved are typically passionate about their particular lifestyle area. The main pitfall is that once those students leave and stop recruiting other students to the community, it may fail to return the following year. It all depends on student interest. University sponsored programs are brought about by the university and tend to be about initiatives that the school supports–for example, CHOICE and UMOJA.

What would you say to first-year students who are afraid of missing out on the more “traditional” first-year residence hall experience?

It’s a misconception that living in a themed community is not “normal.” Every other aspect of living in a residence hall is the same except for the programming aspect. The programming is done with the theme in mind and tailored to the students’ interests. And since everyone in these halls has a common interest, it can be easier and faster to make friends.

If students hear about an event on a themed community floor, are they welcome to join even though they don’t live on that floor?

Yup, and a lot of times it’s just by word of mouth. So they might be walking through a floor and see a flyer or something like that, but I think typically it’s just you find your people. And that doesn’t mean that your people are only the people you live with. You could be in class with something and they mention “Oh yeah, we’re going kayaking this weekend!” and you are interested in attending. I don’t think anyone would say “We only want M&M residents interacting with M&M residents.” We want everybody! I mean also Greek and non-Greek. We want everybody who lives here to come together, and it sounds so hunky-dory, but it’s your home and we want it to feel like a home. And it feels more like a home when you know the people around you.

What do you think is the advantage to living in a themed community vs. a “traditional” residence hall (for both first-years and upperclassmen)?

My assumption is that residents who signed up for the themed experiences have a vested interest or passion in their respective community. Therefore, one of the advantages to living in a themed community is the programming focuses on what you love! For instance, if you live in the Outdoor Adventure community and like to hike or kayak, you have built-in and funded opportunities to take advantage of, while simultaneously experiencing the “typical” community feel of being surrounded by other Lehigh students trying to find their way on campus. The networking opportunities are also more typical in the themed communities. ORL Assistant Directors and community advisors work to provide residents with chances to interact with people or groups that have relevant experience to the respective community, such as early access to featured campus speakers or presenters.

What are some changes that you are looking forward to seeing?

At the Ivy League schools and others private institutions that are similar to Lehigh, there is a big push for the concept of faculty living on campus to work more closely with students. All of the themed communities have at least one advisor who is a faculty or staff member that works closely with the students to see that they are getting that education outside of the classroom.

Right now, students know where the residence halls are, they know what a Gryphon is, and we want to take that to the next level and this is one way in which we can do that. It’s building a connection, and not just a program on that floor, but something they are already interested in with people from Lehigh.

Director Ashley Lemmons of the Office of Residence Life weighed in on the idea of including faculty members in residence halls and what studies have shown to support it.

Residential colleges and the aforementioned forms of contemporary residence education programs share a common goal of seeking to integrate in-class learning with out-of- class experiences in residential settings. What distinguishes classic residential colleges from other forms of residence education is the level and quality of faculty involvement. In residential colleges found in leading universities, faculty and students live and work in shared residential facilities. Since the publication of the landmark study Involvement in Learning: Realizing the Potential of Higher Education, published by the National Institute of Education in 1984, numerous reports have called for increased emphases on improving teaching and learning, increasing student involvement in learning, and integrating in-class and out-of- class learning. The benefits for students derived from simply living on campus, as opposed to living off campus, are well documented. Living on campus has been linked to increases in aesthetic, cultural, and intellectual values; increases in self-concept, intellectual orientation, autonomy, and independence; gains in tolerance, empathy, and interpersonal skills; persistence in college; and degree attainment. A 1998 meta-analysis by Gregory Blimling of studies published from 1966 through June 1997 shows, however, that residential colleges, as compared to conventional halls, increase students’ academic performance and retention and enhance the social climate of the living unit.

For more on the Themed Communities, here are descriptions on each of the first-year communities offered for the 2016-2017 year:

Live.Learn.Serve.: Through community service, students will explore what it means to be an active citizen with one’s local community and discover how personal contributions and community assets can collectively strengthen one’s community.

CHOICE: This community is committed to healthy, substance-free living and active engagement. The residents are connected with one another and are involved in enhancing the Lehigh community as a whole. The advisor and Gryphon plan extra/co-curricular activities that promote a sense of community and foster individual success.

UMOJA: “Umoja” means “Unity” in Swahili. This community helps residents explore diversity and multiculturalism. Throughout the year, the UMOJA family becomes a center of mentorship and support that is committed to identity development and learning about others’ experiences.

ArtsAlive: ArtsAlive connects living and learning through the arts on campus and in the local community. The community encourages participants to explore the arts and is open to all levels of artistic ability. The community’s goal is for students to exercise their creative energy and seek inspiration through multiple experiences.

Creative Commons: Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Creative Commons houses students from a variety of backgrounds with two things in common: big ideas and the drive to make them a reality. These students tap into their creative energy and explore their passions alongside of similarly motivated students through collaboration with the Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship and innovators in and around Bethlehem.

Global Lehigh: A community of domestic and international students interested in exploring different countries and cultures through events, meals, guest speakers, film, and more. Students will connect with Lehigh’s resources for globalization, including the Office of International Students and Scholars, the Study Abroad Office, and the Lee Iacocca Institute. Participation in immersive events and discussion celebrating international cultures will expand students’ worldviews and prepare students for leadership roles in the global community.

Outdoor Adventure: This community is for students interested in outdoor recreation and adventure sports, as well as conservationism and nature. STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics: Supported in part by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, STEM develops students for leadership roles in their chosen field through programming with experts, peer-to-peer mentoring, and close faculty advising for residents.

The day that a Lehigh student moves into a residence hall is the day that they automatically become a member of their building’s Hall Council. Each Residence Hall Council (RHC) is headed by a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and advocacy coordinator. The RHCs advocate for their members, as well as plan events like movie nights, barbecues, and more. The hall’s Head Gryphon advises the Residence Hall Council, which is guided by the overarching Residence Hall Association (RHA).

The Residence Hall Association is comprised of students from all residential areas and various years. Their purpose is to improve the quality of the residence halls through social and educational programming, advocacy, and leadership development. Similar to the RHCs, the RHA executive board plans events for students, though on a much larger scale. Past events have included trips to NYC or Philadelphia, ice skating, bowling, midnight movie premieres, and the annual Rock the Quad. Rock the Quad is held at the end of every school year and includes free T-shirts, a DJ, cook-out food, inflatable obstacle course, games, airbrush and glitter tattoos, and a photo booth.

The RHA executive board elections are held in February to elect the next year’s board. To serve on the executive board, you must have served on a RHC for at least one year and must live in a residence hall. The 2016-2017 RHA executive board is: President Angela Young, Vice President Eden Weinflash, Secretary Bryant Lindsay, Treasurer Winston La, Public Relations Chair Katie Teitelbaum, Advocacy Chair Allen Chan.

The RHC officers for each residence hall are elected in September and serve throughout the academic year. Applications for officer positions are sent out in early September via email.

Almost 60 years ago, a group of 40 undergraduate men at Lehigh established a campus “living group” to provide social functions for its members. These students petitioned the Committee on Social Activities for recognition and thus the Gryphon Society was founded. In Greek mythology, Gryphons were winged beasts, half lion and half eagle, who were keepers of the gold. At Lehigh, Gryphons are still keepers of the gold, though a different kind. A Gryphon is Lehigh University’s version of a Resident Assistant (RA), who lives in residence halls with other students, aka the “gold.” Gryphons serve to promote “an inclusive, supportive, and engaging environment in the residence halls.”

Fast forward to today, the Gryphon role has expanded to serve as advocates, mentors, role models, policy enforcers, administrators, programmers, resources, and leaders for the students residing in all first-year and upperclassmen residence halls. Since its inception, the Gryphon Society has doubled in size to approximately 102 Gryphons, 12 of which are Head Gryphons. Head Gryphons are resident student staff leaders who work closely with their Assistant Director (AD), assisting in administrative duties in regard to the daily operations of their residence hall in addition to their general Gryphon duties.

Gryphons do more than just stay on duty weeknights and weekends or help with lockouts. Gryphons are tasked with creating educational and inclusive communities with the members of their residence halls known as Community Development Experiences (CDEs). Gryphons are trained to assist their residents with roommate conflicts, lockouts, emergencies, illness, and other issues, as well as finding the appropriate resources to help in other situations. Throughout the year, the Gryphon Society sponsors CDEs in the residence halls such as coffee talks, tutoring, hall events, community dinners, and campus events, like the annual Rock the Quad in spring. Community Dinners will often feature food from a local restaurant along with a faculty or staff member, student leader, alumni, or Bethlehem community member to talk about a particular topic.

G-chats, short for Gryphon chats, are one-on-one conversations between a Gryphon and their resident. These chats give residents the opportunity to ask questions, work out an issue, share ideas, express concerns, or just get to know their Gryphon better.

Applications to become a Gryphon the following school year become available in the fall and interviews are held after students return from winter break. Prospective students must hold a 2.5 GPA and be in good disciplinary standing with the university. In addition to free room and board, plus a stipend, students chosen for the role of a Gryphon gain excellent leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

All summer long, the Office of Residence Life will be doing a series for incoming first-years and returning students to get to know their 2016-2017 Head Gryphons. Head Gryphons are residential student staff leaders who serve as role models for the entire Gryphon Society. They are encouraged to promote an inclusive environment in which individual and community rights are upheld. The 2016-2017 Head Gryphon staff ranges from juniors to graduate students and comes from various academic backgrounds. To get to know them better, each Head Gryphon wrote about who they are, what they are involved in, and what they love about Lehigh. First up is Eden Weinflash!

Favorite thing about Lehigh: The size and the opportunities that come along with that–I love that I know a lot of professors well, and I love the leadership opportunities that are available (even starting your first year!)

Favorite thing about being a Gryphon: My residents and staff ❤

Favorite thing about living in a residence hall: Ability to see people all the time, whenever you want–you can never feel too lonely 🙂

Favorite thing about Bethlehem: The Greenway (I hate running, but I’ll do it on the Greenway!)

One thing on my Lehigh bucket list: Try all the milkshakes at Hawk’s Nest (I think I’ve had 3 over the course of 3 years, so it’s not going too well…)